Funder: National Science Foundation
Due Dates: April 17, 2025 | January 22, 2026 | Fourth Thursday in January, annually thereafter
Funding Amounts: Up to $250,000 total (direct + indirect) for 24 months; 45–75 awards anticipated per cycle
Summary: Supports pre-tenure faculty at non-R1 U.S. institutions in the mathematical and physical sciences to launch research careers and broaden participation in STEM.
Key Information: Eligibility is limited to institutions not classified as R1 (Very High Research Activity) per the latest Carnegie Classification.
Description
This program supports the launch of research careers for pre-tenure faculty in the mathematical and physical sciences (MPS) at U.S. institutions that do not traditionally receive significant MPS funding. Targeted institutions include Carnegie Research 2 (R2) universities, minority-serving institutions (MSIs), and predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs). The goal is to enable early-career faculty to establish productive research programs, generate preliminary results, and enhance their competitiveness for future NSF funding (e.g., core programs, CAREER awards).
A central aim is to broaden participation in STEM by increasing the involvement of underrepresented and underserved communities in MPS research and by fostering role models for the next generation of scientists.
Due Dates
- April 17, 2025 (Full Proposal)
- January 22, 2026 (Full Proposal)
- Fourth Thursday in January, annually thereafter
Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. local time of the submitting organization.
Funding Amount
- Maximum award: $250,000 (total, including direct and indirect costs)
- Project duration: Up to 24 months
- Estimated number of awards: 45–75 per cycle
- Total program funding: $11M–$18.75M per year (subject to availability)
Eligibility
Eligible Institutions
- U.S. accredited institutions of higher education (IHEs) not currently classified as Doctoral Universities with "Very High Research Activity" (R1) per the latest Carnegie Classification.
- Includes two- and four-year IHEs, community colleges, MSIs, PUIs, and similar.
Eligible Principal Investigators (PIs)
- Must hold a doctoral degree in a discipline supported by one of the five MPS Divisions (Astronomical Sciences, Chemistry, Materials Research, Mathematical Sciences, Physics).
- Must be in the pre-tenure period of a tenure-track or tenure-track equivalent faculty appointment.
- Must not have previously served as PI or co-PI on an NSF research award (exceptions: Fellowship, Conference/Workshop, Equipment, Travel, Instrumentation Infrastructure, and Research Opportunity Award (ROA) do not count as research awards).
- Tenure-track equivalency requires:
- Appointment expected to last at least three years from the LEAPS award start date.
- Substantial research and educational responsibilities.
- The appointment and project must align with the department/organization’s mission and the PI’s career goals.
- Co-Principal Investigators are not permitted.
Proposal Limits
- No limit on the number of proposals per institution.
- Limit of one proposal per PI.
Application Process
- Submission platforms: Research.gov or Grants.gov
- Letters of Intent: Not required
- Preliminary Proposals: Not required
- Full Proposals: Required; must follow the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and solicitation-specific instructions.
Required Documents
- Project Description (must address long-term research goals, plan for subsequent proposals, and activities to broaden participation in STEM)
- LEAPS-MPS Impact Statement (2–3 pages)
- Signed letter from Department Chair or Dean confirming PI eligibility and institutional support
- Budget (must include travel funds for a PI meeting in Washington, DC)
- Current and Pending Support documentation
Review Criteria
- NSF standard criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts
- Additional criteria: Impact on PI’s career and institutional research environment, plan for generating results to support future proposals, and rationale/impact for broadening participation activities
Additional Information
- Cost sharing is not allowed.
- LEAPS-MPS awards cannot be supplemented except for equity-related cases (e.g., disability or career-life balance).
- Awards may be transferred to a new eligible institution if the PI remains eligible; substitute PIs are not permitted.
- Annual and final project reports are required.
External Links
Contact Information
For technical support with Research.gov: rgov@nsf.gov or 1-800-381-1532
For Grants.gov support: support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726